Refrigerating unit of fired ceramic material



Nov. 18, 1930. L, G OPEM I 1,781,778

REFRIGERATING UNIT OF FIRED CERAMIC MATERIAL Filed Feb. 29, 1928 1' I xl I N VEN TOR.

BY/ Z'LZZ Z A TTORNE Y.

Patented Nov. 18, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LLOYD G. COPEMAN, OFFLINT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO COPEMAN LABORATORIE COMPANY, OF FLINT,MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN REFRIGERATING UNIT OF FIRED CERAMICMATERIAL Application filed February 29, 1928. Serial No. 257,811.

This invention relates to refrigerating units of fired ceramic material,and has to do particularly with cooling units forming a part ofautomatic refrigerating systems and formed in partof firedceramic'material.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a cooling unit fora water cooler, a domestic refrigerator, or in fact any type ofrefrigerating unit requiring the transmission of heat units, and havingits face or faces formed of fired ceramic material, and wherein thetransmission of heat between the conadjacent to or within a firedceramic unit by positioning the metallic article within or adja'cent theceramic unit and filling up the space between the two by materialplastically applied but allowed to set without firing. The presentinvention differs materially from the disclosure of said copending case,in that instead of positioning the cooling means, such as the boiler orexpansion device by means of the plastically applied stone, said boileror expansion device is positioned closely adjacent the wall or walls ofthe ceramic cooling unit, preferably b the formation of the firedceramic unit itsel and the heat transmission between the cooling mediumand the con-V tents of the fired ceramic unit is by means of a fluid andpreferably a liquid. The use of a fluid or liquid for transmitting heatunits, has in many instances peculiar advantages over the use of aplastically applied but unfired stone.

In the drawing:

I have shown a water cooling unit embodying my invention in verticalsection.

In illustrating the present invention I have shown. the same as embodiedin a typical water cooler of the type utilizing mechanical:

refrigeration, but it will be understood that" the. invention can beequally well embodied in practically any type of refrigerating unitdesired.

In the embodiment shown in the drawing the cooling unit may bedesignated 1 and is preferably cylindrical and hollow in shape. Thiscooling unit is preferably formed of a fired ceramic material and itwill be obvious that it may be formed in many varying shapes. The bottomof the cylindrical hollow cooling unit is preferably formed with anaperture, as at 2, which is large enough for the insertion of a suitablerefrigerating unit I which may be generally designated 3.

The inner Wall of the hollow fired ceramic unit 1 is preferably formedwith-an inwardly projecting portion 4 which may be of any shape and sizedesired, and in the illustration is large enough to receive therefrigerating member 3, and at the same time furnish suitable clearancearound the same. This inwardly projecting portion 4 may be suitablyformed at the top thereof, as at 5, to receive the upper end of therefrigerating member 3 and also to provide a space for the recep-- tionof a fluid or liquid, as will be later described.

The refrigerating member of the flooded system type, that is, it isadapted to receive and maintain a givenlevel of 3 is preferablyrefrigerant therein, but it may be understood that it-may be of anyshape desired and may be, ifnecessary, provided with a suitable floatvalve, or it may be in the form of a suitable direct ex ansion device.

Whatever the orm of the refrigerating means, it is preferably of suchshape that it may be easily inserted through the aperture 2, theaperture 2 being adapted to be closed by a suitable plug 6. The aperture2 may be provided with suitable threads adapted to complementally fitwith suitable threads on the plug 6, and such plug 6 may be designed toreceive suitable conduits 7 and 8 for conducting the refrigerant to andfrom the unit 3. The function' of the plug 6 of course is to seal thehollow unit 1 whereby brine or any other suitable liquid, preferably ofthe non-freezing type, may be inserted into the hollow fired ceramiccooling unit, to serve as a medium for transmitting the heat unitsbetween the contents of the unit 1 and the member 3. Such brine may be asaturated solution of calcium chloride, -magnesium chloride, alcohol andwater, or water andand for this reason the member 3 is Ipreferablycompletely spaced in the wall or walls of the conduits mayl or carriedby t the .unit 1 whereby said liquid or fluid will fill up such space.

The mechanism for controlling and circulating the refrigerant isdiagrammatically shown, and as such comprises the power. unit 9, acondenser 10, and a capillary coil 11 for controlling the flow ofrefrigerant 2, and

maintaining the level of the refrigerant in the member 3.

It will be understood that the cooling unit 1 maybe of any desired shapeand maybe designed to receive water, or for the freezing of water, orfor the storage of food stuffs or the like. It will further beunderstood that the sealing and filling of this hollow fired ceramicunit may be accomplished in various manners, and that the aperture forreceiving the refrigerating means and the liquid or fluid may be alsolocated at different positions, or in other words, the refrigeratingunit may be inserted at a point from or positioned at the side or evenat the top, and if desired, the liquid or fluid may be inserted atanother point spaced from the point of insertion or location of therefrigerating member. The refrigerating member 3 is preferablyinsertable and removable as a unit, but it will be understood that ifdesired, be permanently formed in e refrigerating .cabinet or supportingstructure, and detachably con nected to the refrigerating member.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a cooling unit which may bemolded of ceramic material and fired to form a unit of very pleasingappearance, and which unit, whether hollow or combined with othercooperating means, is adapted to receive a refrigerating coil or thelike, and also to receive and contain a liquid or fluid heat conductingmedium. The heat transmission between the refrigerating means and' thecontents of the cooling unit is very efiicient, and in view of the useofthe liquid or fluid, the

entire unit has a large holdover capacity.

Furthermore, it will be seen that the entire unit and system is verysimple and inexpensive and easily assembled. The fired ceramic coolingunit presents a very sanitary surface,

' one that is very easily cleaned, and presents a pleasing appearance,and this fired ceramic material also not only is a good conductor'ofheat'but is also a good holdover, and this combined with the liquid orfluid conducting medium aids materially in the running efficiency of therefrigerating apparatus.

' What I claim is:

1. Refrigerating apparatus, comprising in combination a cooling unitformed of fired ceramic material, refrigerant receiving and conductingmeans forming a part of an automatic refrigerating system, located inproximity to an isolated portion of said wall or walls of fired ceramicmaterial, and means in the form of a fluid serving as a heat conductorbetween said refrigerant receiving and conducting means and all theeffective walls of said fired ceramic material.

2. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a cooling unit formed of a onepiece hollow shell of fired ceramic'material, a refrigerant receivingand conducting member positioned within but spaced-from the inner wallof said shell, and a body of non-freezing liquid contained within theshell and acting as a heat transmitting medium between the refrigerantreceiving and conducting member and the walls of the shell.

3. Refrigerating apparatus comprising, a

cooling unit having its exposed surface formed of a fired ceramicmaterial, a body 4. Refrigerating apparatus comprising, a cooling unitformed of a hollow fired ceramic shell, an opening formed therein forthe insertion of a refrigerant receiving and evaporating .member, a'bodyof liquid surrounding said member, and a plug for said opening adaptedto retain. said liquid within said hollow shell.

5. A refrigerating apparatus, comprising a cooling unit formed of afired ceramic material, said material or stone being of a con sistencyto act as. a good conductor of heat, and also to act as aholdover, abody of liquid having relatively high heat conducting and holdoverproperties adjacent said fired ceramic material, and a refrigeratingmember forming a unit in a refrigerating system for receiving andcirculating refrigerant, immersed in said liquid but spaced from saidceramic material.

6.' A refrigerating apparatus comprising, a cooling unit formed of ahollow shell of stone, a refrigerant receiving and conducting memberpositioned at an isolated point within said shell, and a body ofnon-freezing liquid having relatively high heat conducting propertiescontained'within the shell and acting as a heat transmitting mediumbetween the refrigerant receiving and conducting medium and all theeffective walls of the shell.

In testimony whereof Iaflix my signature.

LLOYD G. COPEMAN.

